Just days after holding a high-profile press conference to declare the nationwide Target boycott a “victory,” Metro Atlanta Pastor Jamal Bryant is walking back his statements and issuing a public apology to the community.
If you’ve been following the ongoing saga between the retail giant and Black consumers, you know that things reached a boiling point this week. Grassroots organizers in Minneapolis originally launched the boycott in early 2025 after Target rolled back its DEI initiatives under political pressure.
However, earlier this week, Bryant, alongside other prominent national figures, announced that the boycott had concluded. He pointed to the fact that Target had felt the pressure of the Black dollar and had fulfilled 97% of a $2 billion investment pledge to Black-owned businesses.
The announcement immediately drew fierce backlash from the actual founders of the movement, including Nekima Levy Armstrong, Monique Cullars-Doty, and Jaylani Hussein. They issued an open letter stating that outside voices had no authority to end a boycott they didn’t start, emphasizing that the core demand, the full restoration of Target’s DEI programs, had still not been met.
Following the intense pushback, Bryant took to his platform to address the controversy head-on. During the 100th episode of his “Let’s Be Clear” podcast, recorded on Friday, March 13, the pastor admitted that he miscalculated the situation and failed to fully grasp the broader demands of the consumers holding the line.
“Today was supposed to be a hallmark celebration,” Bryant began the milestone episode. “But given the most recent events that have taken place this week, we’re having to make a hard pivot.”
During the episode, Bryant clarified that his initial announcement was intended to mark the formal end of his personal “Target Fast,” an initiative he originally launched for Lent last year and extended into a year-long fast, rather than calling off the overarching national boycott.
He also took a moment to shut down swirling internet rumors, explicitly stating that he has not received any money from Target, nor was he compensated by the corporation to end his fast.
Addressing the frustration of the organizers and everyday shoppers who felt their economic sacrifices were being undermined, Bryant admitted he misread the room.
“I wanted you to know that I’ve heard your emphatic outcry, that it wasn’t just about those four, but Target in the community’s estimation, was a prime candidate for cancellation,” Bryant explained. “Saying no matter what happened, you are not going back. I was reading from a different sheet of music. I made assumptions that were not true. And I wanted to apologize to you for being a leader that was out of touch with what it is that the community wanted and sensed what it is that the community were demanding.”
Furthermore, Bryant used the podcast to clarify that he is not the leader of the national movement. Instead, he properly credited the Black women who have been on the front lines of the push for corporate accountability.
